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Start a fundraiser

Having a question you want an answer to? We have gathered and answered the most commonly asked questions.

Basic questions

What is fundraising?

Fundraising is a special way of financing projects (and dreams!), where a fundraiser is started by a person or organization, and everyone (people and businesses) are invited to support the project through small donations, also called micro-payments. Another word for fundraising is crowdfunding.

What is SPONSOR.ME?

SPONSOR.ME is one of the world's largest platforms for sports fundraising. We make it easy for athletes and teams to create and share their fundraisers with the community to fund their sports projects and dreams. Thousands of organizations are already using SPONSOR.ME and there are more than 50 reasons why you should join them.

How do I get started?

First, we recommend that you have a quick look at our guidelines. When ready, use our Genius Wizard to generating the first draft with texts and visuals.

For fundraising managers

Who can start a fundraiser on SPONSOR.ME?

As long as the purpose of the fundraiser fits the vision of SPONSOR.ME, anyone with a relevant sports project can create a fundraiser on SPONSOR.ME. SPONSOR.ME reserves the right to reject any fundraiser that does not live up to the purpose of the platform or is suspected to be of a deceiving or inappropriate nature.

What kinds of fundraisers can I create on SPONSOR.ME?

We only accept fundraisers within sports. All fundraisers must be approved by our quality-assurance staff before being eligible for receiving donations.

How do I create a fundraiser?

To create a fundraiser, simply press here, click "Start a fundraiser" in the top menu, or go to sponsor.me/start.

Why should I use SPONSOR.ME to fundraise for sports?

There are more than 50 reasons why you should choose SPONSOR.ME over other well-known fundraising services. Our employees are experts in sports. We offer the most user-friendly service on the market. We work only with well-known banks and payment service providers to ensure the safety of your funds. We also offer athletes, teams and sponsors a wide range of payment and payout options. And, we have some of the lowest fees on both donations and payouts.

How much does it cost to start and run a fundraiser on SPONSOR.ME?

It is completely free to start and run a fundraiser on SPONSOR.ME. To cover operational and administrative costs, we will deduct a small fee from each donation in addition to the payment providers' charge.

How do I start a successful fundraiser?

We recommend that you read Planning a fundraiser and Starting a fundraiser. When ready, use our Genius Wizard to auto-generate a draft of the fundraiser with texts and visuals in a matter of seconds.

How much time does it take to start a fundraiser?

By using our Genius Wizard, you can start a great fundraiser in less than a minute. Fill in your contact details and, voila! - You are ready to submit your fundraiser for review.

Why does the fundraiser have to be submitted for review before being published?

We review each fundraiser to ensure that it contains all the necessary data, that the information is correct and that the content is not offensive. We do this, because we want SPONSOR.ME to be a trustworthy, pleasant and safe service to use. The review process normally takes a few hours and we will notify you by email when finished.

How much can I fundraise/collect?

There is no limit to how much money you can collect, but we recommend you to focus on a smaller and more specific part of your project and thus a more reasonable financial goal, i.e. $500 to attend a tournament or $1,000 to buy new equipment. This way, you and the sponsors will feel more confident that you will reach your goal, and you both will stay motivated throughout the entire fundraising period.

How do I share my fundraiser?

There are several ways to share a fundraiser. You can simply visit your fundraiser's page and press the Share button at the bottom of your screen, or log on to your SPONSOR.ME account, click on your fundraiser and select "Share" in the pop-up window.

How and when do I get the collected funds?

You can withdraw your collected donations as soon as your fundraiser has ended.

To request a payout, you can log on to your SPONSOR.ME account, click on your fundraiser and select "Finance & Payout" in the pop-up. Then follow the instructions to proceed.

Who can donate and how?

Anyone can support your fundraiser. Depending on your fundraiser's country and the location of your sponsor, the sponsor will be presented with one or several payment methods, e.g. VISA/Mastercard, PayPal, Apple Pay, or bank transfer amongst others. Please note that fees may apply.

How does a recurring donation work?

A sponsor may choose to support a fundraiser for several months by selecting a recurring donation. If so, the sponsor's credit card will be deducted once every 30th day for the number of month selected. This will continue to happen even if the fundraiser has reached its goal and/or has ended.

What happens if the fundraiser reaches its goal?

Nothing happens. The goal amount is only symbolic, and the fundraiser will continue accepting donations. Interestingly enough, it often turns out that athletes get even more sponsors when their fundraiser exceeds the initial goal.

What happens when the fundraiser's duration is over?

Your fundraiser will not stop automatically when the goal date has been reached. Thus, sponsors who visit your fundraiser a little bit late can still support you. If you want the fundraiser to be stopped, log on to your SPONSOR.ME account, click on your fundraiser and select "Stop"/"Pause" in the pop-up window.

Will the collected funds be paid out even if the goal is not reached?

Yes, of course! The collected donations are yours, even if your fundraiser has not reached the goal. You can request a payout by logging on to your SPONSOR.ME account, clicking on your fundraiser and selecting "Finance & Payout" in the pop-up window. Thereafter, follow the instructions to proceed.

For sponsors

Why should I donate?

To feel good and create value in other people's lives. Supporting a fundraiser means participating in the lives of and contributing to the success of active and passionate people. Athletes and their representatives are able to show their appreciation through offering you creative rewards as a way to thank you for your donation. Some athletes offer marketing collaborations and new ways of promoting their sponsors' names, products, or services.

How do I donate?

On the page of a fundraiser that you wish to support, you can choose to donate an optional amount or, if available, select one of the available rewards. When selecting a reward, you will be required to enter your contact details for the gift to be sent to you. All donations are non-refundable.

Can my donation be anonymous?

Yes. To hide your name and/or greeting from other visitors and sponsors on SPONSOR.ME, simply press the "Anonymous" checkbox when entering your name and/or greeting. Please note that your name and/or greeting will be visible to the fundraising manager.

I entered wrong contact details when donating. What should I do?

Please contact our Customer Service for assistance. Our staff will help you out.

What payment options are available?

The number of available payment options depends on the fundraiser's country of origin, national currency, types of nationally accepted debit/credits cards (e.g., VISA and Mastercard are accepted on SPONSOR.ME), availability of certain mobile wallets and payment services in that country (e.g., PayPal, Apple Pay, Vipps and MobilePay are accepted on SPONSOR.ME). We also accept gift cards and vouchers, payments by invoice and traditional bank transfers, to name a few.

Is it possible to set up recurring payments to support a fundraiser for a certain number of months?

Absolutely! When donating, after choosing the amount to donate, you can select to pay once or repeat the donation for several months. If so, you need to include your email for receipts and pay by credit or debit card (VISA or Mastercard).

Are there additional costs when donating?

No, no additional costs apply to you or the athlete/team fundraising on SPONSOR.ME. You, as a sponsor, will pay the amount you chose to donate, nothing extra. To cover operational and administrative costs, SPONSOR.ME and the payment service provider will deduct a fee from the donation.

Will I receive a receipt for my donation?

Yes, to receive a receipt for your donation, remember to fill in your email when donating. The receipt will be sent to your email inbox a few minutes after the donation has been registered.

Is it safe to donate on SPONSOR.ME?

Yes, all your payment details are encrypted before being sent to the reputable banks and payment service providers we are partnering with.

Will my donation be tax deductible?

Donations to charity and sports are tax-deductible in some countries. Please contact your local government for more information and rules.

When will my donation be available to the athlete/team?

That depends on the payment method you are using. Most of the donations will be available right away, but the transaction process takes more time for some payment methods. The fundraising manager may withdraw all collected donations as soon as the fundraiser has ended.

What happens to my donations if the fundraiser I supported does not reach the goal?

Donations are non-refundable. Individual athletes and teams receive all the funds raised, regardless of whether their fundraiser has reached the goal or not.

How much can I donate?

You can donate as much as you like. However, please note that some payment service providers limit the amount of money that can be transferred. In this case, the providers will not be shown among the available payment options.

How do I share my donation?

You can share your donation on Facebook and other social media sites right after donating to the fundraiser. Go to the fundraiser you supported and find your donation under "Sponsors". Click the Facebook icon under your donation to share it.

Why is my donation not showing?

It normally takes 3-5 days before a donation is registered if you used invoice or bank transfer to donate. If you used a debit/credit card, mobile wallet, gift card, voucher, or a payment service, you should see your donation right away. If you don't see your donation on the fundraiser's page, please contact our Customer Service.

What?! You couldn't find the information you were looking for? Contact our Customer Service. We'll make sure you'll get the support you deserve.